Dear Friend
by drippinghoney
Summary: Hakuren is not Mikage.


AN: Updated 8/3/2013.

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Although Hakuren truly admired Bishop Frau, there were times that he questioned the man's intelligence. Scandalous magazines were one thing, but alcohol was entirely different. And for a fifteen-year-old boy! Hakuren had had his share of experience with alcohol, being born from a noble family, and could hold his own with general drinks. Teito though hadn't had that experience, and unfortunately for them it was only _after _he tried the one cup Bishop Frau offered him that they found out he had no tolerance for alcohol.

_At all._

After Bishop Frau had been dragged off by Bishop Castor's frightening dolls Hakuren was left to take Teito back to their room alone, which was no easy task he learned. It would have been much easier if Teito put some effort into walking.

"You look like him, you know." This statement was weighed with such solemnity that Hakuren paused in his efforts to pull his friend off the cold floor.

"What?"

Teito blinked a few times, obviously trying to regain his train of thought, then repeated with the surety of a drunk, "You look like him. I said you look like him. Jus...jus wisthout the hair." Great, now he was slurring.

"Who are you talking about, Teito?" Hakuren sighed as he flipped his long hair over his shoulder to keep it out of the way. He bent over to pull the green-eyed boy up again.

Teito looked confused (well, drunk and confused) that Hakuren didn't know. "Mikage," he said, the "duh" implied.

Hakuren, who by now had succeeded in getting Teito's arm around his neck, looked skeptically over at the ball of pink sitting beside Teito and crooning worriedly over his master's state. Hakuren wondered if he should feel insulted or not, and after a moment's deliberation he decided that yes, he should.

The blond gave a sniff. "I am appalled that you would compare beauty such as mine to your pet's."

"Mikage isn't my pet! He's my friend," Teito retorted in drowsy outrage, but any anger he might have had was dispersed by the hiccup that followed. Then he hiccuped again.

"Of course," Hakuren said as he shakily got to his feet, bringing Teito with him, "Ugh. Teito, get your arm out of my face. Come, now. Walk. Let's get you into the dorms before any of the sisters show up." Thankfully, the other boy was able to walk some and Hakuren didn't have to drag him to their room. He did have to carry much of his weight though as Teito couldn't seem to stand steadily on his own.

Hakuren dropped the boy on the bed with relief and took a moment to stretch out his arms and back. Teito was mumbling softly under his breath, too low for Hakuren to hear. His green eyes opened a crack, blearily regarded Hakuren's form and the mumbling seemed to get louder. Hakuren couldn't make out what he was saying but one word was used frequently enough for it to be recognizable.

Mikage. Of course.

Sighing, Hakuren pushed Teito's legs onto the bed so he was lying fully on it, and removed his shoes and outer robes. With a little persuasion he got Teito under the covers. When Hakuren turned around Mikage was sitting behind him on his bed.

He looked uncharacteristically calm, almost (and Hakuren was reluctant to use this term because he was such a happy ball of pink most of the time), solemn. Yellow moonlight shining through the room's solitary window colored Mikage's body a warm golden brown. His eyes were transformed to sunflower yellow, a shade filled with laughter and innocence and smiles.

But when Hakuren involuntarily stepped closer they were ruby bright again, solid and empty. Mikage blinked at him curiously as Hakuren stared. Shaking his head, Hakuren picked up the creature, petted it a few times and let it squirm under the covers with Teito.

Teito's arms were open, like he was waiting to hold him. With Mikage close to him Teito seemed to be appeased and he finally fell silent. Too quickly did his face smooth out and his breathing slow to a steady, shallow rhythm. Half hidden by the covers, Mikage's tiny head was barely seen but there was a glint of a red eye still staring out.

Hakuren, who was sitting on his own bed with his arms crossed, started lowly, "Listen. Teito is my friend, but if he needs you I'm not going to fill in as your substitute. I'm not cleaning up your messes for you, because I'm not you and I never will be.

"I'm Hakuren," he declared almost angrily, then softened. "Take care of him in the form you chose and make him see you as you are now."

There was a moment of silence in which they stared at each other and Hakuren wondered if he had just made a complete fool out of himself but then, slowly the glint of red closed and opened.

Hakuren gave a short nod and uncrossing his arms, ran his fingers over his hair with another sigh, partly irritated and partly relieved. "Good. At least we're on the same page."

Then he climbed into bed and woke up the next day in the clothes from the night before.


End file.
